Vehicle safety alert system

Abstract

A vehicle safety alert system. The system includes a controller disposed within a vehicle and a plurality of transmitters disposed along a roadway. The controller receives speed limit data from the transmitters and then both notifies a driver of the current speed limit and alerts the driver if the vehicle exceeds the speed limit. The controller also includes GPS components and is configured to upload vehicle location data to a database and server via an existing network. The transmitters are configured to receive vehicle speed and identification information and relay the information to a server. The information regarding vehicle speed, location, and identification is then sent from the database to the appropriate monitoring agency via the server.

I claim: 
     
       1. A vehicle safety monitor system, comprising:
 a server; 
 a communications network; 
 a transmitter including a first wireless transceiver in communication with the communications network via the server; 
 a database in communication with the server, the database configured to store posted speed limit information of a section of a roadway; 
 a controller in communication with the transmitter via the first wireless transceiver, the controller comprising:
 a sensor configured to detect a current speed of the vehicle; 
 a second wireless transceiver in communication with the communications network; 
 a processor; 
 a non-transitory computer readable medium operatively connected to the processor; 
 a logic stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium that, when executed by the processor, causes the controller to monitor the speed of the vehicle, by at least: 
 detecting the transmitter; 
 communicating with the server and database over the communications network; 
 retrieving a current speed of a vehicle from the vehicle; 
 retrieving a posted speed limit corresponding to a posted speed limit of a section of a roadway from the database; 
 matching the retrieved posted speed limit with the retrieved current speed limit of the vehicle; 
 if the current speed is less than or equal to the posted speed limit, activating a first mode; 
 if the current speed is greater than the posted speed limit, activating a second mode; 
 if the current speed is greater than the posted speed limit for a predetermined time period, activating the third mode; 
 wherein the first mode activates a first alert; 
 wherein the second mode activates a second alert; 
 wherein the third mode activates a third alert and transmits vehicle identification information of the vehicle including the current speed to a third party; 
 
 a digital display disposed on a front surface, the digital display configured to display the current speed limit of the vehicle; 
 a first plurality of indicator lights disposed on the front surface, the first plurality of indicator lights including a first light having a first color, a second light having a second color, a third light having a third color; 
 the first light configured to remain illuminated; 
 the second light configured to illuminate if the current speed limit is greater than the posted speed limit plus the threshold value; and 
 the third light configured to illuminate if the current speed is greater than the posted speed limit for the predetermined time period; 
 a second plurality of indicator lights disposed on a rear surface, the second plurality of indicator lights including a first light having a first color and a second light having a second color. 
 
     
     
       2. The vehicle safety monitor system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller further comprises:
 a power source; 
 a speaker; 
 a battery indicator light; 
 an attachment point disposed on a rear surface. 
 
     
     
       3. The vehicle safety monitor system of  claim 2 , wherein the controller further comprises:
 vehicle identification information including vehicle registration and insurance information; and 
 a machine readable barcode, including the vehicle identification information. 
 
     
     
       4. The vehicle safety system of  claim 1 , wherein the transmitter includes a plurality of transmitters arranged in one or more groups, each group defining a section of a roadway. 
     
     
       5. The vehicle safety system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller includes a radio frequency identification chip configured to communicate with the first wireless transceiver by transmitting a distinct signal via the second wireless transceiver;
 wherein the transmitter is configured to identify the radio frequency identification chip via the first wireless transceiver. 
 
     
     
       6. The vehicle safety system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is in communication with an onboard computer speedometer of the vehicle and is configured to detect the current speed of the vehicle using the onboard computer speedometer. 
     
     
       7. The vehicle safety system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to detect the current speed of the vehicle using a global positioning system. 
     
     
       8. The vehicle safety system of  claim 1 , wherein the third mode further transmits the vehicle identification information to an agency via the communications network. 
     
     
       9. A method of alerting drivers and third parties of a speeding vehicle when the vehicle is speeding in a section of a roadway, comprising the steps of:
 detecting a transmitter positioned on a section of a roadway; 
 communicating with a server and database over a communications network; 
 retrieving a current speed of a vehicle from the vehicle; 
 retrieving a posted speed limit corresponding to a posted speed limit of a section of a roadway from the database; 
 matching the retrieved posted speed limit with the retrieved current speed limit of the vehicle; 
 if the current speed is less than or equal to the posted speed limit, activating a first mode; 
 if the current speed is greater than the posted speed limit, activating a second mode; 
 if the current speed is greater than the posted speed limit for a predetermined time period, activating a third mode; 
 wherein the first mode activates a first alert; 
 wherein the second mode activates a second alert; 
 wherein the third mode activates a third alert and transmits vehicle identification information of the vehicle including the current speed to a third party; 
 activating a first plurality of indicator lights disposed on a front surface, the first plurality of indicator lights including a first light having a first color, a second light having a second color, a third light having a third color; 
 if the current speed is less than or equal to the posted speed limit, activating the first light; 
 if the current speed is greater than the posted speed limit, activating the second light; 
 if the current speed is greater than the posted speed limit for a predetermined time period, activating the third light; 
 activating a second plurality of indicator lights disposed on a rear surface, the second plurality of indicator lights including a first light having a first color and a second light having a second color. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the current speed of the vehicle is retrieved from an on-board computer speedometer of the vehicle. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the current speed of the vehicle is retrieved from a global positioning system receiver. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first alert, the second alert, and the third alert comprise an audible alert and a visual alert.